Spiritcode

Greatest Commandment greatest value

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT FOR THE GREATEST VALUE
Luke 10:25… One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”
The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”
The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
“By chance a Levite came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple Priest walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins (denarii), telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.
The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

That man is us as humanity and The Samaritan is Jesus as God and the bandits are the devil and the Levite and the priest are all the people hearing the story – the world of indifference (that includes us).

The world is indifferent to the plight of a stranger. It is full of its own needs and greeds, and very choosy as to what it gives its time and attention to outside of that, and it justifies that indifference.
If the man were dressed in royal robes there might have been a different response – but stripped of his robes and naked? Move along, there’s nothing for you to see here.

The Samaritan was heading somewhere with purpose just like the others but for the Samaritan this inner gracious impulse came first. What got into him? Heaven was in him (Jerusalem down to Jericho). Look what he does; He stops on his journey. Has compassion on his naked beaten up state. Binds up his wounds. Supplies oil and wine. Puts him on his own donkey and walks beside him. Takes him to a safe and caring place. Pays two day’s wages for his care. Says he will pay for any extras when he returns.

What would have been the man’s thoughts and his response when he was greeted by the man after he had finished his journey and came back to see him? – Only gratitude.
When I said that the Samaritan (Jesus as God) was heading somewhere with a purpose for two days I believe that the purpose of the journey was to be continually repeating that salvation and restoration act. That is what the Samaritan (as Jesus), lives for. That gives his journey its meaning. It was his highest value because we are of greater value to him than anything, the same value that the Father has for his Son is that which he has for us.
John 17:23… You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

 

 

 

Preparing the next generation

It is a real joy to have Tim Watson, the new headmaster at Northern Beaches Christian School, to be sharing with us in the Word this morning. We pray God’s blessing upon Tim and his family and upon his ministry of leadership at the school.
PSALM 78
1 My people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth. 
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 
3 things we have heard and known, 
things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, 
his power, and the wonders he has done. 
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel, 
which he commanded our ancestors 
to teach their children, 
6 so the next generation would know them, 
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children. 
7 Then they would put their trust in God 
and would not forget his deeds 
but would keep his commands.

A FESTIVAL OF CAROLS
This year NBCS will be celebrating Christmas through “A Festival of Carols”. This event, being held on the evening of Monday 25 November, will feature a mixture of Bible readings and popular carols accompanied by our combined bands and choirs.

 

God with us

What was the point of the Ten Commandments?
So that we could live in loving relationships – first to God and also with one another.

Luke 10:26 And he answered and said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10 + Mark 12 + Matthew 22). (1John 4:20)
This response to God is commanded in the Old Testament as many times as in the New Testament.
This response is of the greatest importance to God.

It was the desire of God’s love to create mankind and to seek fellowship with us (Ephesians 1:4-11) so he made a covenant in which he promised to man in spite of his sin, to be His God, and vowed to bind us to himself as his children and as partners in his life and love. (Hebrews 8).

Then God joined himself to humanity by sending Jesus to die and be raised again for us. ‘God being humanity’ is the only possible solution – God with us. So God with us is a done deal – but what about ‘us with God’?
That concerns our obedient response of faith to God and it deals with Mercy and Grace.

GRACE – The empowering presence of Holy Spirit within us in our choosing to love and obey God.
MERCY – The loving heart of the Father who forgives sin and has mercy on our unrighteousness through Jesus
Both of these are accessed though FAITH. (Romans 5:1-2 Ephesians 2:4-8)
His dying on the cross was our forgiveness and mercy. His life within us is our grace - 1Peter 1:9 saving of soul

Jesus told the parable about laborers working in his vineyard and all getting the same wages despite their working different hours – totally against Trade Union rules - and the trouble (based on covetousness) started from there.
Matthew 20:13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘ Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for your wage? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’

God took a risk in throwing us all together and letting us sort out our attitudes and try to get to where he ultimately wants us with his gospel of GRACE
BUT humanity (flesh) resists grace and chooses law, which is evidenced by our preoccupation with our self-righteous performance as compared to other people and what we deserve compared to other people, and our judgement against God for his unfairness and our judgement upon others for their unjustified behavior.
Ultimately he wants us to be free to love HIM and one another and to be ONE together in him forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commandment Ten Enough is enough

Covetousness may seem like a bit of a yawn compared to the gravity of most of the other commandments.
Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbour's house; you shall not covet your neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's.
Colossians 3:5… covetousness is idolatry… (and God's judgment upon idolatry is the destruction of idols).

The Empty Life
The covetous heart desires to have the life or possessions of other people and sees them as the source of his or her life fulfilment. This is idolatry (Commandment Two) which reflects a failure of obedience to Commandment One regarding the honouring of God as the source and fulfillment of our lives. That is why Commandment One sits between Commandment Ten and Commandment Two.
How can the Holy Spirit bear witness to the truth of our lives if we want to live though what other people have rather than what we have? We first have to be who we really are in God so that we can do what we should really do in God, knowing that we have all we really need in God.

Lucifer was the first person to covet. He coveted not only God's place of power and glory but he felt that he deserved to have the inheritance due to us through God's son Jesus, an inheritance which we share with Jesus through faith (Which is why Satan hates us so much). The following scripture from Isaiah demonstrates the determination of Lucifer to follow through with his plan of revolution, in which he seems to have persuaded other fallen angels who went with him (Revelation 12:4, Luke 10:18, Jude 6 etc.), that they would get their fair share of the new order of things. What he got in fact, was destruction and a final judgment of being cast down to Hell. Emotional and spiritual destruction comes upon the covetous person.

Isaiah 14:12-45 How you are fallen from Heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! 13. For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; 14. 1 will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like The Most High.' 15. Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the pit.

Marxism and Neo Marxism/Socialism - You Owe Me
Marxism presents itself as being based on an unselfish motive of the just and equal redistribution of wealth, with the state being the sovereign benefactor and custodian of all property, so that there is no personal inheritance or full personal freedom to acquire wealth. This is aimed at removing the greed motive and the misuse of birthright, status, or special ability that would advantage oneself thereby depriving and oppressing others. The power base that is built is totally atheistic, and in fact is taking for itself the place of God as the 'possessor of Heaven and earth'. It is patently obvious that this experiment with God's property has failed, because the real motive is not unselfish at all but a covetous reaction to what the wealthy have, even though the wealthy may be misusing God's property to their advantage. The answer however, is not Marxism/socialism/communism, but a biblical response to the eighth commandment, which turns the taker into a giver, releasing productivity and liberality for the blessing of others and honouring God.
Socialism seeks to redistribute wealth, but actually distributes poverty. It does away with true inheritance as a Godly principle (Proverbs 13:22) and seeks to enforce its own form of social and material justice and equality. The 'you owe me' mentality puts this ideology in the category of taking and not giving, and denies that God owns everything. Then comes the social engineering and abuse of power in the hands of a State bureaucracy that manages the property and opportunity of the people.

Philippians 4:11 ‘…I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether it be plenty to eat or nothing to eat, a full purse or an empty pocket; 13 for I can do all these things with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. 

Paul turns his attention to one of the main reasons for writing this letter—to thank the Philippian church for their generosity to him, and to bring a revelation of contentment.

Paul had to learn this and model this and then teach this, because contentment is not a natural human response. Paul was content because he could see life from God’s point of view. He focused on what he was supposed to do, and who he was supposed to be, not on what he felt he should have. Paul had his priorities straight, and he was grateful for everything God had given him. He was ‘initiated’ into being content - the word denotes this in verse 12. This was a powerful concept to the Greeks, and it is the life changing theme of baptism, death to an old life and birth into a new life.
In doing this he extols God’s great generosity in providing all that we need, and he extols the virtue of those who give in partnership with God’s goodness and assures them of an earthly and an eternal reward.

1 Timothy 6:6-7 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commandment Nine 2 Witness to the truth

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.

Being HIS witness is putting HIM on display in our lives Just as Jesus put his Father on display
John 14:9 If you have seen me you have seen the Father…
John 8:37 and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.

Witness of the Holy Spirit on earth now- John 16:13,14 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me (Put me on display), inasmuch as he will receive what is from me and show it to you. We receive from Holy Spirit to put that on display with him to the world.
Romans 8:15 but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The same Spirit Himself is bearing witness with our spirit that we are the offspring of God… and that if we are together suffering with him we should together be being glorified with him (our life and his on display together).

WHY do we bear witness and HOW do we bear witness? If we know the why we will know the how. The WHY is because there is a new life, a new reality of our I AM that bears witness to the reality of God’s I AM in the earth. There is a range of activities that are the HOW as a witnesses to his reality.

But some doctrinal practices that manipulate peoples’ emotions are actually an untrue witness. They put other things on display instead of Jesus (fake miracles and prosperity - 1Thessalonians 5:19-22).
John 3:21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

The zealous but toxic witness that distorts the purpose of The Holy Spirit by bringing condemnation and guilt instead of Holy Spirit’s mandate of speaking his conviction of light and truth. (John 16:8)
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world may be being (aorist passive tense) saved through him. (Yonggi Cho).
1Corinthians 4:4… do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

Sharing your faith
1Peter 3:15 always being prepared to make an answer to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

God bearing witness to our witness - Paul and Barnabus bear witness to the Gentiles.
Acts 14:3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Sharing a conscious partnership with Jesus
Holy Spirit feels, sees, hears and knows what we do. We share the knowing with him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do not set aside the grace of God

DO NOT SET ASIDE THE GRACEOF GOD
Luke 5:36-38 No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”
Leading up to these statements Jesus and his disciples were questioned about eating and drinking with tax collectors and about fasting. Luke 5: 29-34 “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.” 34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”
It’s not about the keeping Laws. It’s about grace. Jesus has called a tax collector and Levi had a banquet at his home for Jesus – Grace. Jesus and his disciples eat with sinners – Grace. The disciples eat instead of fasting – Grace. The future of following God is going to be different. It’s not going to be by sticking to rituals and laws. It’s going to be new – And I think Jesus actually knows there need to be time for his disciples to adapt. When Jesus points out that “new wine must be poured into new wineskins.” He then goes on to say... 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”
Because what is happening in this passage of scripture is the old having a problem with the new. Because some think the old is better. The old way says to fast and pray - new way says you can eat. The old way says don’t eat with sinners - the new way says you can. The old way says there should be prayer and fasting - the new ways says you don’t have to....Because Jesus...the bridegroom is with them...Yes there will be times of prayer and fasting in the future....But now the bringer of the new way is here...And he is ushering in the new wine...He has the new garment...and it’s not going to be about patching up an old garment...It’s about a new beginning...
Jesus knows the old will be hard to let go of....He is sensitive to that...So he, by grace, is going to teach his disciples the principles of the new way...But as we know from the parable of the garment...The old and the new don’t mix effectively...they are incompatible ...As Christians we can see the incompatibility...

Old way...Frequent Animal sacrifice for sin...New way = Once and only Sacrifice of Jesus..once forever
Old way = A people/nation that God worked through New way = is about a person that God works through – Jesus
Old way = Shows the wrath of God towards sin...New way = Reveals God’s grace towards sinners
When I think of these things it’s difficult to believe anyone can think the old wine is better...But this was a tension for the early church in teaching and practice...in Gal:1: 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ...And look at what Paul had to confront Peter with...Gal 2:11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
The Old Testament records the giving of God’s Law, and the New Testament shows how Jesus the Messiah fulfilled that Law (Matthew 5:17; Hebrews 10:9).

In the Old Testament, God’s dealings are mainly with His chosen people, the Jews; in the New Testament, God’s dealings are mainly with His church (Matthew 16:18).

Physical blessings promised under the Old Covenant (Deuteronomy 29:9) give way to spiritual blessings under the New Covenant (Ephesians 1:3).

The apostles and believers were struggling at times with this new garment and old and new wine...Paul was making it very clear about the hypocrisy of Peter...The Gospel is justification by faith in Jesus Christ....not by the works of the law...The Gospel is a gospel of grace
Gal 2:19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
“I do not set aside the grace of God” “for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”...We are not to set aside the grace of God for ourselves or for others...Because if we do.....if we put on the old garment...drink the old wine....try to gain anything through the law....we will set aside Grace.....and the message we live is that Christ died for nothing! Obviously I’m not discounting praying and fasting – financial giving – material giving – caring for others...But all those things can be done legalistically as a way to find favour with God– and if so – Christ died for nothing...It’s the old wine – the old garment!
But when we are motivated by our relationship with Jesus...We may fast and pray because our heart yearns to...We give money because we desire to serve that way.....with no thought of benefit to ourselves...We give not to be seen as being someone special in doing so...it’s a blessing to be able to give...We do things in secret that God sees but no one else...We don’t live in fear of God punishing us if we fail to keep the ‘laws’.
We will fail...But we have Christ...The life we now live in the body, we live by faith in the Son of God, New wine – New Garment – Life in Christ – We will fail – But when we do – let’s not try to use the law to get ourselves back on track...It won’t work – just dig a deeper hole of failure.
Love words of the old hymn...‘Grace will lead us home’...That’s why we are to live – IN THE GRACE OF GOD...Jesus didn’t die for nothing....He died so we might have life abundantly – by the grace of God...Moses – did Moses part the waters – Grace of God did...Noah – build a perfect water proof Ark – God sealed them in – Grace of God...Daniel – hungry lions – honoured God with his devotional life – Grace...Shadrach Meshach and Abednego – made a stand for God – Grace...ALL BY THE GRACE OF GOD
Then there is the way we look at ourselves too...Jesus forgives us...but do we neglect to forgive ourselves...There is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1)....but do we condemn ourselves for failures...Do we accept ourselves as we are – because Jesus does...We must make sure we accept we are children of Grace...Don’t set aside Grace that we need to experience
Do we beat ourselves up over our failures and sometimes perceived failures...Do we punish ourselves emotionally – I deserve to feel bad....Do we think God does not love us anymore....Do we think no one can love us....Do you think you can’t go on any further....We must always remember that Jesus loves us unconditionally...Not based on what we have done or not done....Not based on if we feel good or bad...It’s based on one thing and summed up in three words...“It is finished” – It is finished – reminds us...There is a new garment...There is new wine...I like to translate it as God saying....I love you, here is my Grace
Don’t set aside the grace of God.....Embrace the grace of God and live in it. Matt 13:52
He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
Our God is so big that, at least in this life, there will always be something new for us...we need to learn to live in the grace of God embracing the new God gives us...but still being ready and open to the next new thing he has for us.

 

Commandment nine 1 What is truth

Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

The first lie that was ever told on earth led to death, which demonstrates the power of what is called false witness (Lucifer/God). A lie has the power to destroy the worth (Commandment 8) and the name of another (Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit). Satan is called 'a liar and the father of it' by Jesus (John 8:44) and the power he wields is based on his own self-deception of the worth of God and God’s name, and his deceiving of others with this same lie.

Bearing witness to the truth
John 18:37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.

Truth (Strongs concordance al??thinos – not concealed, ie, revealed) - that which has not only the name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name, in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name, real, true genuine (it is what it is). It is opposite to what is imperfect and defective.
As human beings and believers we are imperfect and defective, but we believe that we have ‘Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith’ (Ephesians 3:17) so we are conscious that we have the imperfect and defective ‘old self being’ to live out from or the ‘new self being’ created by God to live out from (Ephesians 4:22). One expresses the TRUE nature of God and the other expresses our ‘old self’ nature. One is complete and one is imperfect and defective.

What is truth means truth is what is (Who are we – Which I AM are we – there is a choice)

1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

John 16:13,14 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, inasmuch as he will receive what is from me and show it to you."
The revelation then, is Jesus; not a system of doctrines, but him. The teaching of Jesus, with his life, death, and resurrection, obviously involves doctrine, but dogmatic formulations can never take the place of the revelation in Christ. God’s will shall be done in and through us as revealed by the Holy Spirit and as heard and obeyed by us at that time. We can’t just grab a Scripture and declare it to happen because we read it.

John 5:39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
1John 2:27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

A renouncement of false teaching
Benny Hinn has been a leading proponent of prosperity gospel theology since the 1980s, teaching that God rewards active faith with health and wealth. But on September 2, during his 50-minute weekly broadcast, Hinn said he had changed.
“I am correcting my own theology and you need to all know it,” the televangelist told his studio audience and those watching online. “The blessings of God are not for sale. And miracles are not for sale. And prosperity is not for sale.”
Hin said he now believes such give-to-get theology is offensive to God. He specifically repudiated the practice of asking for “seed money,” where televangelists tell people that God will bless them if they give a specific dollar amount. Hinn himself has done this numerous times, promising God will give material blessings in exchange for a gift of $1,000. On Monday, he said he wouldn’t do it anymore. “I think giving has become such a gimmick,” Hinn said. “It’s making me sick to my stomach. And I’ve been sick for a while too. I just couldn’t say it. And now the lid is off. I’ve had it. You know why? I don’t want to get to heaven and be rebuked.” (Christianitytoday.com September 2019)
A person can repent of false teaching and stop being a false teacher and that is commendable but false teaching gets picked up and passed on by those who love it and won’t let go of it and there are consequences. 2Thessalonians 2:10 they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion,
LET US ASK GOD TO GIVE US A LOVE OF THE TRUTH AND LET US RECEIVE IT. THE BAR IS HIGH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commandment Eight 2 Worth Receiving

When Commandment eight ‘Do not steal’ is spiritually ignored or resisted people start to devalue not only relationships, but the actual worth of people generally, so they develop a life pattern of taking rather than gratefully receiving. The thief loses this sense of worth and value for people, in others and in himself. When people give up on something they often say ‘It isn’t worth it!’
Mark 8:34 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Who works out what something is worth in this world?
Basically it is the free-marketplace, price is based on functionality, quality, availability, cost of materials and labour, appearance and presentation and not least, the manufacturer or creator (label). The last one leads to incredible variation concerning cost and value (a priceless piece of art).

Worship Worthship and Workmanship
Givers give to what they believe is worthwhile. Takers take what they can. Receivers receive with gratitude. When we receive with gratitude and appreciation, we show that we value the time and the effort and care that has gone into the giving. All of this goes into our valuation of a person, and their worth. To worship God is to worthship God. To seek His Kingdom is to value relationship with Him. It becomes the highest worth. We are his highest worth as shown by his laying down his life for love of us. We are worth everything to God.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 
Luke 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Seeking worth
Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him

Consciously receiving – This can be restful or active but still involves challenge and faith and grace.

Restful In Receiving
James 1:21 … receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Active In Receiving
Romans 5:17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s abundance of grace and his free gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
We begin to receive the best for our souls rather than remaining discontent in unmet needs.
James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your desires.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blooming within your lot

David was not having a good day. ‘I am restless in my complaint and moan noisily, because of the voice of the enemy…My heart is severely pained within me and the terrors of death have fallen upon me…fearfulness and trembling have come upon me’

David’s first reaction? ‘Get me out of here’...’Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest...I would remain in the wilderness. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.’ When I was young, some Christians used to say something that disturbed me—and I was not quite sure why. They would say when difficulties came someone’s way. “God won’t give you anything that’s too hard for you to handle” (or words to that effect). I think it was very loosely based on 1 Cor. 10:13.
The one thing they did have correct was the understanding that God gives, or allots, things. On another occasion David said ‘the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance’ (Psalm 16:6) and it carries the same idea…Someone allots our Lot!

1.We live within a ‘Lot’ (or Allotment)—and—there is an ‘Allotter.’ We understand our ‘lot’ as
the framework and set of circumstances within which we live and find ourselves (both short and long term). Some are happy with their lot. Others feel very unhappy, hard-done-by or even bitter. Of course, there are often things that we can (and ought) do, to improve our lot—get a job, spend less, eat healthily, stop looking within and help another.

In your street or apartment block, each one lives within a Lot or Allotment, and that Lot defines the limits of your responsibility. Mine is not the responsibility of next door or down the street or across the street, nor how they live or conduct their affairs. My responsibility and stewardship is my Lot. In the natural realm, if we don’t like our Lot we can of course, sell out and move to one more amenable to our likes—with better neighbours or water views or closer to the shops. But of course, changing location doesn’t change me.

David was in the midst of circumstances that made him want escape his ‘Lot’! The wicked oppressed him and brought trouble his way to the point where it was taking its toll. He was depressed and restless and in fear for his life! Friends had forsaken him and he was surrounded by deception!
Escape seemed an attractive option: ‘oh that I had wings like a dove; I would fly away and be at rest. I would wander far off and lodge in the desert…I’d hasten my escape from the rushing storm wind and tempest.’
That’s how he felt, until he came back to the foundation of Truth. And the truth, as always, was in God—it is He who allots!
Things become altogether different for those who know, love and worship The Allotter, The Dealer.

2. God has a Plan for your Lot: The bottom line is that God’s plan for each and every Lot is
the recognition of His presence in it—and that glory and praise and honour be brought to Him within it (and outward from it). His desire is that my Lot becomes a ‘cell’ of His presence and we’ll see how that is possible—the only way it is possible. He desires that I bloom within my Lot! In fact, He designed my Lot to enable me to bloom!
What that requires is my joyful recognition that HE is the Allotter—and I, the Allottee! This may not be easy. It is submission.

But of course, His plan goes beyond me—for it is that each one may bloom within their Lot and that the cells together form a matrix where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts to reveal the glory and power and presence of God!
The world has an expression, ‘you play the hand that’s dealt you’ and it’s not far from the truth, except that it lacks the vital element. The world sees the ‘fates’ or ‘karma’ or chance or ‘lady luck’ as the cause and random generator of each ‘hand.’ The response to this varies from stoicism to reaction and anger—or for some rare individuals, a quiet determination to make the best of the situation. That is getting close to the Kingdom of God, but those in that Kingdom are they who’ve come to know personally, The Dealer! And to know that His purpose for each one within their Lot is that they find Him there and bloom there as a testimony to his presence and power—and in the trusting rest that all that He does is on purpose and has a beautiful end in view. (There are people not yet part of the Kingdom—as far as we know—who are also great examples of accepting their Lot and becoming something within it. We admire people like Kurt Fearnley and others).

3. God’s Expectation of me within my Lot: in coming back to the truth David knew so well
In his heart, he says ‘as for me, I will call upon God…He has redeemed my soul in shalom from the battle…’ It was David’s soul that was distressed! His senses and emotions and responses. The part of us that God wants to redeem from its tendencies, and bring to shalom.
So, what is God’s desire for us and expectation of us in such circumstances?

Here it is: that we learn to do as v.22 urges; ‘cast your burden and He will sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be shaken.’ The Hebrew word translated ‘burden’ is YEHAWB and its meaning is…a lot, that which is given—allotted! Here it is in the ISV— ‘Cast on the LORD whatever he sends your way, and he will sustain you.’
So, it’s not true that He won’t send me anything I’m not able to carry. He may deliberately do so in order that I will learn what to do with it! Cast it on Him…and trust! (As Peter said in 1 Peter 5:6, this is how we humble ourselves).

What He is after in me is my learning to access His extraordinary, abounding grace within my Lot; ‘this grace’ as Paul said ‘in which we stand…and rejoice in hope of the glory of God’!! (Rom.5:2).
Not that people hear my whingeing—but that they marvel at His presence and grace! We must discover His grace; we must stand and walk in His grace; it is sufficient! And what we find is that not only is He there and willing to carry our burden, He is willing to carry us and our burden. No wonder He said ‘my yoke is easy and my burden is light’! He desires the display of His grace, not a display of a big ME and my stoicism or toughness—or my complaining. His grace!

4. This is Righteous living: David wrote ‘cast your Lot on the Lord and He will sustain you; He
shall never permit the righteous to be moved/shaken.’ The righteous life—the life in which His righteousness is seen is this: that we are learning, ‘whatever my Lot, He has taught me to know, it is well, it is well with my soul.’

This is the life where His grace abounds. Grace that defies the world and its ways. This is the contrast He is after.

Ian Heard 6/10/19
www.until-we-see.com

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Commandment Eight 1 Having worth

Exodus 20:15 You shall not steal.

In the last commandment, which dealt with faithfulness and loyalty in relationships, we saw that being gratified can become the easy option over being satisfied, so the notion of relationship gets devalued. This shift of values progresses to Commandment eight about stealing, where people start to devalue not only relationships, but the actual worth of people generally, so they develop a life pattern of taking rather than gratefully receiving. Because if we receive with gratitude and appreciation, we show that we value the time and the effort and care that has gone into their giving. All of this goes into our valuation of a person, and their worth. The thief loses this sense of worth and value for people, in others and in himself. Givers give to what they believe is worthwhile. Takers take what they can.

I once asked a question to a class of primary school students; ‘When does a thief stop being a thief?’ and their answers included statements such as: 'When he goes to gaol,' or 'when he has got enough money.' Many said 'when he stops stealing' but the Scriptures tell us that a greater transformation is needed to change a thief from being a thief. The New Testament expands on the transformation of a thief in Ephesians.

Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labour, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
This commandment is about more than just ceasing to steal otherwise we are talking about behaviour modification and self-improvement which is not ineffective, just not transformational. This is about a change of heart, a repentance/renewing of the mind that brings a person into an understanding of their own and other people's worth and to their becoming a giver EG, Zaccheus, who opened the door of his home for Jesus to come in and bring about his transformation (Luke 19:5).

The above Scripture was preceded four verses earlier by the process of transformational faith.
Ephesians 4 :22-24 put off your old self (close the door on your old being), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self (inhabit your new being), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

If we know the Why we can understand the How. Why the Commandments, why the suffering and the pain of the challenge to our will, why the need of faith and for grace through Jesus? We limit God’s power only by our limited vision to see by faith what Jesus has done for us. God has provided salvation for a suffering world through Jesus (1Timothy 4:10).

If Abraham hadn’t looked he wouldn’t have seen any Heavenly vision of faith.
Genesis 22:18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Genesis 13:14 “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.